Fill me With Joy
by mandaree1
Summary: Dovewing and Lionblaze can't sleep. They drag themselves and Jayfeather out for a walk.


**Disclaimer: I don't own the Warrior Cats!**

 **Title: Fill me With Joy**

 **Summary: Dovewing and Lionblaze can't sleep. They drag themselves and Jayfeather out for a walk.**

 **...**

Dovewing jumped a bit when a solid paw nudged her shoulder. It was late but early; the dark had begun to recede, but the light of dawn hadn't touched the clearing yet. The warriors' den was filled with quiet snoring.

Lionblaze blinked at her through the silence. "Wanna go for a walk?" He asked.

He didn't apologize for waking her, or ask why she hadn't been sleeping. He must already know. Dovewing cast a glance at her sister, who she knew was awake, but Ivypool didn't stir.

Dovewing had been watching her sleeping patterns lately, and found she kicked out most of the night, battering Blossomfall's back and sides. She always returned the attack with brutal force, and it wasn't rare for the two of them to stumble out tired and bloody. When they weren't sleeping, they looked the most like normal warriors, stiffly curled up into balls.

Blossomfall shot out and clawed her ear. Ivypool didn't even flinch.

Dovewing nodded to Lionblaze and stood up. They picked their way over the other cats, sighing with relief when they were in the freedom of the camp.

"Be right back." He touched his tail to her shoulder and crept into the medicine den. Jayfeather stumbled out soon after, ears flat and fur sticking up from a lack of grooming. Lionblaze seemed remarkably proud of himself.

"I'm going to claw out chunks of your fur." Jayfeather grunted to his brother, then idly pressed his nose to her head. "Did he drag you into this?"

Dovewing shook her head. "I was already awake."

His tail thrashed. "Well, _I_ wasn't."

"Of course not. You know how to lucid dream." Lionblaze sniffed indifferently. "It's not like you ever rest when you do."

He hissed and fell silent.

"Come on." Lionblaze pleaded, pressing his nose into Jayfeather's scruff. "It's been awhile since we went on a walk together."

Dovewing felt mildly affronted by not being included on those alleged walks, but she understood. She'd never ask Purdy to join her and Ivypool in a game of mouse, no matter how much she liked the elder.

"Fine." Jayfeather sighed, reminding her of a petulant kit. "But only because I'm already awake."

Nothing stirred as they slipped into the forest. Dovewing strained her ears but could only catch the rustle of leaves and the quiet sound of their pawsteps. Disheartened, she gave up. Lionblaze and Jayfeather didn't speak, taking comfort in each other's company, but Dovewing didn't feel unwelcome, and their tails brushed her head and shoulder every once in awhile.

"Why does every walk we take always end up by the lake?" Jayfeather muttered as they walked along the shore, irritably flicking his wet paws when the waves sucked on his fur.

"You can see the other territories this way." Lionblaze meowed. "Hey, I think I can see some RiverClan cats. Look."

"I hope you're talking to Dovewing."

"I am."

"That's good. I was beginning to worry you were losing it."

Lionblaze rolled his eyes and twitched his whiskers deviously. The golden tom gently nudged Jayfeather a few paces away and then halted. "You see that?"

Dovewing craned her head, scanning the shore. "See what?"

"Attack!" He cried, flinging himself at her playfully. Together they crashed into the chilly water, batting at each other and growling. Lionblaze is heavy, and the water wasn't doing her any favors, but Dovewing was fast, flicking water at his muzzle with nimble paws. In return he dunked her, slapping her side with waves.

Jayfeather sat by the shore, tail tucked neatly around his paws. He flicked an ear. "When you're done acting like kits."

They stopped side-by-side, panting. "Not everyone hates water as much as you do, Jay." Lionblaze purred.

"You once told me swimming was unnatural for cats." Jayfeather commented wryly. "Besides, I waded through water more than once to help Cinderheart heal, so don't act like I flee at the sound of a wave."

"We're not swimming. We're playing." He rebuked, moving closer. "Don't trust us enough to go floating blind?"

"I prefer having something solid under my paws, yes." He agreed.

"Fair enough." Lionblaze meowed, then ducked under to burst up and throw water at his brother.

He had to have guessed what was coming, Dovewing reflected. Jayfeather knew his brother. But he didn't back away; merely wrinkled his muzzle and squinted when the drops flecked him.

Ears flat, Jayfeather stood and turned away. "That's it. I'm done."

The two watched him walk into the trees in silence. Dovewing noticed Lionblaze looked particularly crushed. "I didn't think he'd mind, since he wasn't being pulled in or anything." He admitted, tail drooping. "I just wanted to include him."

"You know how Jayfeather is." She meowed, giving his ear a comforting lick.

"I should've respected his boundaries more." He argued, leaning back onto his haunches with a shudder, water clinging to his body. "We're under enough stress as is."

Dovewing nodded. Somehow, no longer being one of the Three was harder than having a prophecy. Now life in ThunderClan seemed to drag on, bringing them with it reluctantly. They were useless, wasted bodies of fur, and they all took what little enjoyment they could get in spite of that.

Suddenly, Lionblaze yelped, bowling into Dovewing with a comedic crash. They both stood and shook the water out.

Jayfeather was back, this time carrying a decent-sized stick. The blind tom looked proud of himself for coming up with the compromise, dragging the tip across the water to make a weak spray.

Lionblaze laughed, pouncing. They engaged in a game of tug of war, splashing water at each other. The warrior was physically much more competent than his tiny brother, but Jayfeather had solid grip on his side. Lionblaze let go with a growl and Jayfeather aimed a clumsy blow to his side. He staggered, slipped, and fell into the shallow water.

Jayfeather hesitated, ears swiveling. "Lionblaze?"

"Got you!" Dovewing cried triumphantly, digging her teeth into the stick. Lionblaze regained himself with as much dignity as a muddy warrior could, leaping at the middle of the stick to snap it in two.

Jayfeather, hearing and feeling the break, dropped his half in disgust, smacking his lips to rid himself of the wood taste. "Fox-dung. That was a perfectly good stick you just destroyed, you know."

Fur askew, wet, and muddy, Lionblaze panted alongside Dovewing- who was in much better shape- feeling a warm pride at their victory. "You've got a thing for sticks, Jay. It's always about sticks with you."

"Sticks are useful. Sticks can save a life or end it." He replied calmly, but there was an undertone of laughter to his words, whiskers trembling.

Lionblaze sprinted up the beach to tackle the medicine cat, leaving them both sprawled out on the grass. The smaller tom made no attempt to dislodge the warrior, eyes half-closed with affection.

"Ugh. You're heavy." He grumbled. "Remember the days when we used to weigh nothing? I miss that. I feel like an elder."

Dovewing pulled herself free of the lake's watery grip, shaking her soggy pelt out. She gingerly padded over and flopped on top of them both, purring. "Let me in on the old tom cuddle pile."

"You're soaked."

"And you've got wood chips in your fur. Relax."

They didn't move for a while after that.

 **Author's Note: I just want these kitties to be happy, okay?**

 **-Mandaree1**


End file.
